Tashkent summit of the Shanghai Cooperation Organization

On 23-24 June a meeting of the Council of Heads of Member States of the
Shanghai Cooperation Organization under the Presidency of Uzbekistan took place
at the Kuksaroy residence.

The SCO summit started with a
meeting of the Heads of member-states of the SCO in a narrow format. The
meeting, chaired by President of the Republic of Uzbekistan Islam Karimov, was
attended by President of the Republic of Kazakhstan Nursultan Nazarbayev,
President of the People's Republic of China Xi Jinping, President of the Kyrgyz
Republic Almazbek Atambayev, President of the Russian Federation Vladimir
Putin, President of the Republic of Tajikistan Emomali Rahmon.

The issues of further developing
trade-economic partnership among the member-states of the Shanghai Cooperation
Organization, enhancing the SCO activities, strengthening regional security and
stability, fight against terrorism, religious extremism and separatism were
discussed at the meeting.

The Shanghai Cooperation
Organization was established on 15 June 2001 in Shanghai based on the
Declaration on establishing the SCO, signed by Uzbekistan, Kazakhstan, China,
Kyrgyzstan, Russia and Tajikistan. The main goals and tasks of the organization
were defined as consolidating mutual trust, friendship and good neighborhood,
development of cooperation in political, trade-economic, scientific-technical,
cultural-humanitarian, power energy, transport and other spheres, ensuring
peace, security and stability in the region.

The SCO Charter provides that
member-states comply with the principles of respect for independence,
territorial integrity and inviolability of borders, equality, mutual
understanding, non-interference in internal affairs, non-use of force in
international relations and settling disputes peacefully.

Over the past 15 years a solid legal
basis for the organization has been created and its secretariat and divisions
have been established. Currently, the SCO, as an authoritative
intergovernmental organization, has a strong place in the international arena,
it has become an effective mechanism of multilateral cooperation.

Uzbekistan, as one of the founding
states, having a huge economic and geopolitical potential, plays a special role
in its activities. Our country considers the SCO as an important means of
developing trade and economic ties, cultural and humanitarian cooperation as
well as strengthening regional security, fight against terrorism, extremism,
drug trafficking and weapons.

This is the third time Uzbekistan
has chaired in the Shanghai Cooperation Organization. Our country presided in
the SCO in 2003-2004 and 2009-2010.

Uzbekistan, during its first
presidency in the SCO, enriched the organization with substance. Within the
frameworks of the summit in Tashkent on 17 June 2004, a permanent body of the
organization - The Executive Committee of the Regional Antiterrorist Structure
were established. The regular meetings of Secretaries of Security Councils have
been launched. It serves as an important factor in strengthening peace and
stability, preventing various threats and challenges, which is one of the main
objectives of the SCO.

At the summit in 2004 the Convention
on the powers and immunities of the SCO, the Agreement on cooperation in
combating illicit trafficking in narcotic drugs and psychotropic substances,
the Regulation on the status of observer at the SCO and other documents were
signed. Pakistan, India, Iran and Mongolia gained an observer status at the
SCO. At the initiative of President Islam Karimov the President of Afghanistan
was invited as a guest for the first time to the summit. Later, Afghanistan
received an observer status at the SCO.

The second presidency of Uzbekistan
also raised the activity of the SCO to the next level. During his visit to our
country in April 2010, Secretary-General of the United Nations Ban Ki-moon
signed a Joint Declaration on Cooperation between the Secretariats of the SCO
and the United Nations, which served as the basis for the relationship of the
Shanghai Cooperation Organization with this global structure.

During the Tashkent summit, held on
11 June 2010, important documents - SCO Rules of Procedure and the Regulations
on the procedure for admitting new members to the SCO were adopted.

On July 11, 2015 the presidency in
the organization was passed to the Republic of Uzbekistan. Our country, along
with Member States, has carried out significant work on expansion of
cooperation within the SCO framework, better coordination of relationships,
strengthening the role of the organization in the international arena.

Uzbekistan paid special attention to
improving the efficiency of the organization through the development of
international relations of the SCO, development and implementation of
initiatives related to the security and stability.

The Heads of State discussed the
main results of the 15 years-long activity of the SCO. It was noted that the
positions of the SCO as a significant and influential player in the
international area have consolidated.

At the meeting it was stressed that
international terrorism, extremism and their other manifestations are now a
growing threat for all countries of the world. It is possible to counter these
challenges only by strengthening the joint cooperation and consolidation of
efforts of the world community.

In accordance with the provisions of
the Charter and other documents of the SCO, development and implementation of
measures for joint counteraction to terrorism, separatism and extremism,
illicit drug production and trafficking, illegal trafficking of arms,
ammunition and explosives, proliferation of weapons of mass destruction and
their means of delivery will continue to be a priority area of interaction
within the organization.

The need to intensify joint efforts
to create a safe, fair and open information space, relying on the principles of
cooperation and respect for national sovereignty and non-interference in the
internal affairs of other countries was underlined.

At the meeting the sides discussed
topical issues of the priority directions of multilateral cooperation, as well
as the situation in the region and the world.

Particular attention was paid to
exchanging experience on effectively countering a slowdown of the economy,
introduction of innovative technologies, formation of a favorable investment
and business climate, implementation of long-term mutually beneficial projects
in the priority areas of cooperation and infrastructure development.

The meeting paid special attention
to developing cooperation in transport communications, energy, culture and
other areas.

The heads of delegations of the SCO
observer states - President of the Islamic Republic of Afghanistan Ashraf Gani,
President of Belarus Alexander Lukashenko, Prime Minister of the Republic of
India Narendra Modi, President of Mongolia Tsakhiagiin Elbegdorj, President of
the Islamic Republic of Pakistan Mamnoon Hussain, Minister of Foreign Affairs
of the Islamic Republic of Iran Dr. Mohammad Javad Zarif and the guest of the
presiding state - President of Turkmenistan Gurbanguly Berdimuhamedov also
attended the extended meeting of the SCO summit.

UN Under-Secretary-General Jeffrey
Feltman, Chairman of the Executive Committee - Executive Secretary of the
Commonwealth of Independent States Sergey Lebedev, Secretary General of the
Collective Security Treaty Organization Nikolay Bordyuzha, ASEAN
Secretary-General Le Luong Minh and Executive Director of the Secretariat of
Conference on Interaction and Confidence Building measures in Asia Gong Jianwei
were also present.

Signing of memoranda on obligations
of the Republic of India and the Islamic Republic of Pakistan to obtain the SCO
member state status at the Tashkent summit was an important stage in the
process of expanding the SCO.

The Heads of State noted that
obtaining the full member status by India and Pakistan shall increase the
potential of the Organization and contribute to the further enhancement of its
role in the international arena as a multilateral mechanism for addressing the
urgent problems of contemporary time, ensuring security, stability and sustainable
development in the region and the world as a whole.

The Heads of State welcomed the
signing of memoranda on granting the SCO Dialogue Partner status to the
Republic of Azerbaijan, the Republic of Armenia, the Kingdom of Cambodia and
Nepal.

Following the summit meeting, the
Tashkent Declaration of the Fifteenth Anniversary of the SCO, the Action Plan
2016-2020 for the implementation of the SCO Development Strategy towards 2025,
Program on Development of Cooperation of the SCO Member States in the Sphere of
Tourism and other documents were signed.

The meeting highly appreciated the
activities of the Republic of Uzbekistan during its presidency in the SCO.

At the press briefing with mass
media representatives, President of Uzbekistan Islam Karimov pointed out that
the meeting was held in the spirit of mutual trust and respect, the reached
agreements r will serve the interests of the SCO member states and observer
countries.

SCO Secretary-General Rashid Alimov
emphasized the historical importance of Uzbekistan's presidency in the
organization, high level of organization of all activities in the framework of
its presidency and the SCO Tashkent summit as a whole. He expressed his sincere
gratitude to the people and leadership of Uzbekistan.

The Tashkent SCO summit concluded
its work. Surely, it takes a special place in the history of the SCO as a
summit at which important agreements were reached in order to enhance the
efficiency of the organization, promoting regional cooperation and
strengthening security.

The Republic of Kazakhstan shall
take over the presidency in the Organization for the upcoming period.

(Source: Press-service
of the President of the Republic
of Uzbekistan)